Turkey

Christofias rejects possible UN arbitration on Cyprus issue

NICOSIA, Cyprus – President Demetris Christofias said on Saturday (April 4th) that Greek Cypriots will not accept any change to the ongoing negotiation process aimed at reunifying the divided island. This includes setting deadlines for completing talks or possible UN arbitration. “These principles have been accepted by the international community, …

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Turkish Kurds to Ask Obama to Help End PKK War

Turkey’s only legal Kurdish party will call on U.S. President Barack Obama during a rare meeting next week to help end a 25-year separatist conflict, signalling the expanded role Kurds play in Turkish politics. Obama will make his first visit as a president to a Muslim country next week, seeking …

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Turkey’s Erdogan mulls government changes

ANKARA, Turkey – Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday (April 1st) that he is mulling changes in the government after his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered its worst election result in seven years. The AKP won 39% of the votes in Sunday’s local elections, falling well …

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Turkey hosts trilateral meeting with Afghanistan, Pakistan

ANKARA, Turkey – President Abdullah Gul hosted the third trilateral meeting among counterparts from Afghanistan and Pakistan on Wednesday (April 1st). Gul, Afghanistan’s Hamid Karzai and Pakistan’s Asif Ali Zardari discussed ways to strengthen relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, joint economic projects, and the fight against terrorism in the context …

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Spain releases PKK suspects on bail

MADRID, Spain – A Spanish court has released on bail Remzi Kartal, a former lawmaker from Turkey’s disbanded Democracy Party and suspected former commander of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Turkish media reported on Monday (March 30th).

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Turkish opposition leader killed in helicopter crash

ANKARA, Turkey – Six people, including opposition Great Union Party (BBP) leader Muhsin Yazicioglu, died in a helicopter crash in the southern province of Kahramanmaras, Interior Minister Besir Atalay said on Friday (March 27th). Yazicioglu’s helicopter crashed Wednesday in bad weather. Searchers took two days to find the wreckage and …

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